Different types of fast closing or silent faucet are known for filling toilet tanks, and they all have a close functional relationship.
In principle, the water discharges into the tank and the sealing is achieved by the effect of the pressure exerted by the water network itself on the rubber seal. For this, the closing is instantaneous and fast, thereby eliminating progressive closing which causes noise.
So far, it can be asserted that this type of faucet presents important technical problems, especially due to the fact that it only works at very specific pressures, in such a way that when the values are high these conventional faucets very easily become blocked and unusable.
Others, which work with micrometric measurements for the passage of water, also very easily become blocked and of course cease to work.
On the other hand, present-day fast closing faucets for filling tanks do not function with water at high pressure.
A faucet is known that seems to function acceptably and overcomes the problems mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, though it is very large and costly to produce, and its functioning becomes irregular at high pressures.
Among the registers that are known and which have some of the drawbacks mentioned above can be mentioned patent P-9001516, utility model 244.814, utility model 246.739, etc.
As an antecedent of the feed faucet for tanks that uses a vertical tube for ducting the water to the bottom of the tank and eliminating noise mention can be made of: utility model 271.378, though it employs a mechanical sealing system by thrust of the arm associated with the float.
Patent P-9400045 refers to a faucet for filling tanks which possess a fast and silent closing during the filling of a toilet tank, at the same time as functioning with high and low pressures. This is a dual functioning faucet: on the one hand it acts as a fast closing and silent faucet, taking advantage of the actual pressure of the water in the network for carrying out the sealing, and on the other, in the absence of pressure, it functions as an ordinary faucet, in other words by means of the thrust that the rising of the water level exerts on the arm of the float or float.
The faucet for filling tanks which constitutes the object of the invention is characterised in that it functions efficiently at any pressure covering a wide range of values.
In principle, it includes a structural base like the faucet of patent P-9400045.
So, the new faucet consists of a casing with a water inlet duct and an outlet duct through which the liquid flows to the outside in order to be able to fill the tank. Coupled to this casing by means of the collaboration of a threaded locking ring is a tubular piece so that this and the casing together shape an internal cavity in which is housed a set of elements for controlling the sealing and release of the faucet.
Within the internal cavity there are two facing elastic rubber pieces, forward and rear, each being interposed between the casing and the tubular piece, and between the two rubber pieces there exists an intermediate chamber that links with the other rear chamber via an opening in the second rubber piece, this rear chamber presenting a constriction corresponding to the tubular piece, where an intermediate body is fitted provided with a longitudinal opening, at the same time as being in contact with a piston on which acts the rocker arm linked to the corresponding float or float.
The facing rubber pieces present a different structure from that presented by the rubber pieces of patent P-9400045, at the same time as being linked and associated in a way that is also different.
The opening of the rear rubber piece is over-dimensioned with the aim of helping to release the pressure in the chamber confined between the two rubber pieces during flushing.
The intermediate body presents a very different structure from that presenting by the moving body of patent P-9400045. Moreover, the new faucet incorporates a compensating spring located between the intermediate body and the rear rubber piece. This spring helps the recovery of the expansion undergone by the rear rubber piece during the sealing.
The intermediate chamber confined between the two facing rubber pieces is connected to the inlet duct of the water network via a narrow opening made in the forward rubber piece and in which comfortably fits a rod integral with a central piece provided with certain holes for allowing the passage of the fluid. Concentric with this inlet duct is another larger one that connects the first duct with the tank via the outlet pipe or duct, preferably vertical. Moreover, these two concentric ducts are related one with the other by means of the forward rubber piece which, depending on its position, will permit the passage of water from the inlet duct to the larger concentric duct and from here to the outlet pipe.
These two concentric ducts are separated by an annular partition, the free edge of which can be used for seating the forward rubber piece when the sealing takes place in order to prevent the passage of fluid. That free edge of the annular partition presents a curved-convex shape permitting a more effective seal when the forward rubber piece is seated on it.
When the tank is empty, the flow of liquid will pass through the inlet duct until it reaches the larger duct, passing from this to the tank by means of the outlet pipe. During this stage of filling, and thanks to the pressure of the water in the network, a tapping takes place of the fluid via the narrow opening made in the forward rubber piece, and the fluid floods the intermediate chamber and straight away crosses the opening of the rear rubber piece in order to flood the rear chamber as well. This rear chamber does not include a drainage duct as in the case of patent P-9400045. Instead, drainage has been provided via the thread where the locking ring of the tubular piece couples. In this way, excess pressure is released from the faucet during the filling of the tank.
When the tank reaches the proper level, the circulation of the fluid is automatically cut off by means of the float linked to the lever that will act on the piston, which then becomes axially displaced towards the interior, as it moves pulling along the intermediate body with the longitudinal opening which is sealed by that piston, that body covering the opening of the rear rubber piece. In that way, the circulation of the fluid is detained in the intermediate chamber where the pressure of the water will push the two rubber pieces in opposite directions in such a way that the forward rubber piece will prevent the passage of fluid from the inlet duct to the outlet duct.
When the tank is emptied, the piston returns to its initial position and with it all the other elements, thereby releasing the closing pressure generated in the intermediate chamber, with which the circulation of the water will commence again until the tank is filled once more.
This, piston incorporates at its internal end a rubber seal which is what closes the narrow longitudinal opening of the intermediate body.
The fine rod crossing the opening of the forward rubber piece regulates the passage of the fluid into the intermediate chamber. Similarly, the displacement of the forward rubber piece on the rod favours the continual cleaning of the small concentric passage that exists.
In addition to sealing the opening of the rear rubber piece when appropriate, the intermediate body which incorporates the longitudinal opening also receives the recoil thrust following the sealing. For this reason, provision has been made so that it is forced to stop on an intermediate step of the tubular piece housing the piston, in such a way that it retains the recoil pressure of the rear rubber piece and this is not excessively transmitted to the float via the piston; these latter two elements support solely the sealing pressure of the longitudinal opening of the intermediate piece.
The faucet of the invention also functions perfectly when the flow of water supplied by the network is minimal, in other words, when it is xe2x80x9cdrop by dropxe2x80x9d.
The vertical outlet pipe is telescopic for being adapted to the depth of the tank in order to ensure that the outlet of the water is made below the minimum level of water left in the tank after flushing in order to thereby reduce the noise of the filling.
The float is able to include a small tank that will be filled with fluid, the weight of which will improve the descent of the float once the faucet has been actuated for flushing the tank.
In the outlet duct for the fluid there is a tapping where a small float has been provided by way of a non-return valve which also makes the faucet more silent so that during the filling of the tank this tapping is kept sealed, thus preventing the emission of sounds.
When that float ceases to float due to the absence of water once the faucet is sealed, it unblocks the opening located above it, releasing it for the purpose of permitting the entrance of air and thus avoiding the non-return effect.
In order to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report, some figures are included below in order to represent the object of the invention.